French PM Borne says lower house election result is “risk” for the country

PARIS (Reuters) – French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne on Sunday said that the result of the lower house elections, in which the camp of President Emmanuel Macron lost its absolute majority, was a “risk” for the country.

“The result is a risk for our country in view of the challenges we have to face,” Borne said.

President Emmanuel Macron and his allies on Sunday lost their absolute majority in the National Assembly and with it control of the reform agenda, a crushing outcome for the newly re-elected president.

Her government will now reach out to potential partners as it seeks to rally a majority behind it, Borne said in a televised address.

“We will be working from tomorrow towards forming a majority of action… to guarantee stability for our country and carry out the necessary reforms”, Borne said.

“I have trust in all of us and in our sense of responsibility,” said Borne, telling voters: “We want to continue to protect you and ensure your security”.

Borne herself succeeded in her race for a seat in the National Assembly in the northern Calvados region where she won a runoff vote against a challenger from the left.

Some members of her cabinet, including the environment and health ministers, failed in their bids to secure a parliamentary seat, while others like Europe Minister Clement Beaune, budget minister Gabriel Attal and Labour Minister Olivier Dussopt succeeded.

The government had previously announced that those ministers who failed in their parliamentary campaign would resign.

(Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta and Tassilo Hummel; Editing by Ingrid Melander)